405: Chapter 460 Phantom Thief Zhimin (26)

After several hours of silence, the "guardian of princess wonyoung" account finally became active again. However, observant netizens noticed that today's "guardian of princess wonyoung" seemed to have lost some combat effectiveness.

The posting frequency had decreased, and the severity of the insults had dropped by several levels. Previously, every word was a lethal strike to the heart, but today it felt like going through the motions. A few posts kept repeating the same old content—"Karina plastic surgery face," "Karina praying mantis woman," "Karina Pig 51." There was no creativity, and even the typos remained uncorrected.

In the comments section, Karina's fans had already begun to mock the account.

[Is this it? Is this it? Is this the best a hater can do?]

[Did guardian of princess wonyoung change owners? Why so gentle today?]

[LMAO, run out of words? Our Karina's excellence has left you speechless, hasn't it?]

[Was the account hacked?]

[Wait, no, everyone go look at "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry"!!!]

Everyone swarmed to the "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" account.

Then they discovered that this account, Karina's biggest fan page, was outputting content like crazy today, as if it had been injected with adrenaline.

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Our Karina is looking beautiful today as well! [Image][Image][Image]]

The attached photos were candid shots of Karina on set today—wearing a purple phantom thief trench coat, profile facing the camera, with sunlight casting a golden glow over her face. The angles were tricky, clearly taken secretly, but every single one was so beautiful that people couldn't look away.

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Karina's side profile is a killer! Those lines! That contour! Is this a level of beauty a human can possess?]

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Ahhhhh, the way Karina walks today is so cool! Even her walking posture is art! It's performance art!]

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Karina's eyelashes! Oh my god! Those eyelashes! They're like butterfly wings gently fluttering! Every blink is a poem!]

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Karina's voice! I heard Karina speak today! Even though she only said the word "Oppa"! But that voice! It's like spring wind chimes! Like a summer spring! Like autumn drizzle! Like winter sunshine! Like—]

[Netizen A: Has this person gone crazy???]

[Netizen B: Well, despite that, Karina really is good-looking...]

[Netizen C: Wasn't this account pretty normal before? Why is it so hyper today?]

[Netizen D: Feels like it's been possessed by something...]

In the comments section, although Karina's fans found it a bit strange, they were praising their idol after all—who wouldn't love to see that?

And the most magical thing was that this account actually started replying to fan comments.

A fan left a message below: "Xiao Strawberry Sister is so active today!"

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" replied: "Because I really want to praise Karina today! Karina deserves to be praised by everyone!"

Another fan commented: "Has Xiao Strawberry Sister met Karina in person? Was that you during the last video fansign?"

"Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" replied: "...Not telling. But Karina in person is a hundred times more beautiful than in photos."

The fans below became even more excited.

[Xiao Strawberry Sister is so cute, hahahaha]

[So was that really you at the last video fansign!]

[It definitely was! The voice and the typing tone are exactly the same!]

[Would Karina be happy if she saw Xiao Strawberry Sister's posts?]

[Definitely! Who wouldn't like being praised!]

Meanwhile, in the aespa practice room—

Karina was sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding Jiang Zhiyu's phone. The screen clearly displayed the homepage of the "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" account.

Her fingers flew across the screen. She had just posted another message praising herself, and fan comments were popping up one after another below it.

"Karina is so pretty today!"

"Karina's stage presence is insane!"

"Karina is the best leader in the world!"

As she looked at those comments, the curve of her lips grew wider and wider, eventually turning into a silly, goofy smile.

"Hehehe..."

She laughed softly, talking to herself as she typed.

"I'm really not as good as everyone says~"

NingNing sat beside her, watching this scene, her lips twitching slightly.

"Unnie..."

Karina looked up at her, that intoxicated smile still on her face.

"Hmm?"

NingNing opened her mouth to say something but ultimately swallowed her words.

She turned her head to look at Kim Minjeong.

Kim Minjeong was holding a piece of bread, munching on it while staring at Karina with a shocked expression that said, "What am I seeing?"

The two of them locked eyes, seeing the same thought in each other's gaze—

Is Ji-min Unnie being a bit... narcissistic?

But Karina noticed nothing.

She lowered her head and continued typing.

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Karina is not only good-looking, but her personality is also super great! Gentle, kind, considerate, generous, cute, lively, smart, brave, strong—all the beautiful words in the world can be used on Karina!]

After posting, she laughed "hehehe" again.

"Ji-min Unnie, what are you writing?" Kim Minjeong leaned over, curiously poking her head in.

"Rebutting the haters," Karina said without looking up, her fingers tapping rapidly on the screen, a hint of a smile she hadn't even noticed on her lips.

"Karina is the best! You anti-fans don't understand her goodness at all. Every move she makes when dancing is clean and sharp, every note she sings touches the heart, and when she stands on stage, her whole being glows—"

As Kim Minjeong read along, her voice gradually grew quieter, and she looked at Karina with a subtle gaze.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri also leaned in, three pairs of eyes staring at her in unison.

"Unnie," Kim Minjeong couldn't help but speak up, "you're just praising yourself, aren't you?"

Karina looked up and said righteously, "I'm using the 'Little Strawberry' account to rebut them! Isn't this how fans are supposed to talk?"

"But..." NingNing weighed her words, "you wrote it with too much genuine emotion. It feels like you're really praising yourself."

"I *am* praising myself," Karina said matter-of-factly. "'Little Strawberry' is my fan. Isn't it normal for a fan to praise me?"

Kim Minjeong opened her mouth to say something but found she actually couldn't argue with that.

Karina had already lowered her head to continue typing, muttering softly as she did: "'Karina's stage presence is that of a natural-born idol. Every fancam's data proves it. Those anti-fans are just jealous, jealous that Karina is too excellent—'"

Kim Minjeong silently retreated to her spot and exchanged a look with NingNing.

That look said: Unnie seems a bit narcissistic.

NingNing's gaze replied: Not just seems, she is.

Uchinaga Eri's gaze was the most direct: It's over, she's addicted.

Karina was indeed addicted.

Since the game started and she was forced to use the "Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry" account to rebut those hater messages, she found that she was actually enjoying the process.

It wasn't the rebuttal itself she enjoyed, but—praising herself from a fan's perspective.

It was a wonderful feeling.

Usually, in front of the camera, she had to remain humble, say appropriate things, and when asked "where do you think you're prettiest," she'd shyly say, "No, no, it's all thanks to the makeup artist."

But now, she could praise herself openly and honestly.

And it wasn't just ordinary praise; it was the kind only a fan would use—filtered through adoration, eager to pile every best adjective in the world onto her.

With every post she made, the phone vibrated non-stop. Likes, comments, shares—fans were frantically agreeing below.

"Little Strawberry said it well! Karina is the best!"

"Ahhhh, Xiao Strawberry Sister is here again! She speaks my mind every time!"

"Karina's stage presence is truly that of a natural-born idol, so true!" As Karina looked at those comments, the curve of her lips grew wider and wider.

"Hehehe—"

A silly laugh escaped her lips.

Kim Minjeong was stunned.

NingNing was stunned.

Uchinaga Eri was also stunned.

The three of them looked at Karina—their leader, currently sitting cross-legged on the floor, clutching a phone with a... how should one put it... very intoxicated smile on her face.

"Hehehe... I'm really not as good as everyone says~"

She said this in a soft, mushy tone she wasn't even aware of.

Kim Minjeong and NingNing looked at each other, seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes—it's over, Unnie is hooked.

Kim Minjeong watched Karina's intoxicated state, her lips twitching.

"Unnie, what are you doing?"

Karina snapped out of it and looked at Kim Minjeong, her face flushing slightly red.

"No, nothing."

Kim Minjeong blinked, then looked down at Karina's phone resting on the floor, nodding thoughtfully.

"Oh—being narcissistic, I see."

"Hey! I'm not being narcissistic!" Karina's face turned even redder. "I'm just... just responding to fan comments!"

Kim Minjeong said indistinctly while munching on a muffin, "Using that 'Little Strawberry' account?"

Karina froze.

Kim Minjeong continued, "Unnie, you've been using that account to praise yourself all afternoon."

Karina's face turned as red as a cooked shrimp.

"I... I didn't..."

"You did," NingNing poked her head in from the side. "I saw it. You said 'Karina's side profile is a work of art.'"

Uchinaga Eri also silently raised her hand: "And 'Karina's singing voice is heavenly.'"

Karina opened her mouth to defend herself but found she couldn't say a thing.

Because what they said was the truth.

She really had been using the "Little Strawberry" account to praise herself.

And she had been doing it all afternoon.

And—

She had been doing it very happily.

Kim Minjeong couldn't help but laugh at her embarrassed state.

"Unnie, you know? Your expression right now is exactly like someone caught being narcissistic in front of a mirror, trying to pretend nothing happened."

Karina glared at her, her eyes full of the threat of "you better shut up."

But Kim Minjeong wasn't afraid at all.

"Unnie, admit it, you're narcissistic."

"I am not!"

"You are."

"I am not!"

"You are."

"Ya! Kim Minjeong!"

"Hehehe~ Well, Ji-min really is great..."

Kim Minjeong, NingNing, and Uchinaga Eri looked at each other, simultaneously wearing expressions that said "Unnie is a lost cause."

Just then, Jiang Zhiyu returned from the restroom.

He pushed the door open and walked in, still holding his phone, looking at something.

"Yo, 'guardian of princess wonyoung' isn't doing so well today," he said as he walked. "The comments section is asking if you haven't had enough to eat."

Karina looked up at him, a hint of smugness in her eyes.

"Of course. Because the person controlling that account is currently busy—"

She waved the phone in her hand.

"Praising herself with the Little Strawberry account."

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but laugh at her narcissistic display.

"So your current identity is 'Karina's Number One Fan'?"

Karina nodded matter-of-factly: "Exactly!"

She looked down at the phone and posted another one.

[Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry: Karina is the best idol in K-pop! No arguments accepted!]

Sent.

Then she looked up at Jiang Zhiyu again and said seriously:

"I think I should be allowed to use this 'Little Strawberry' account more often in the future. Look, the fans really like my replies, and the engagement has doubled."

Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow: "So you plan to interact with yourself using a fan identity?"

Karina paused, then her face turned slightly red.

"It's not interacting... it's... it's experiencing the fans' feelings!"

"Oh?" Jiang Zhiyu walked over to her and sat down. "How was the experience?"

Karina thought for a moment, then said very seriously:

"I think Ji-min is really great. Beautiful, kind, hardworking, talented, and sincere to her fans."

She paused and added:

"The fans are right, Ji-min really is worth being loved by so many people."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her serious expression and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Beside them, Kim Minjeong, NingNing, and Uchinaga Eri were already doubled over laughing.

"Unnie! Can you not be so serious when you're praising yourself!"

"Hahaha, I'm dying, Ji-min Unnie is such a narcissist!"

"Ji-min, if you keep this up, the 'Little Strawberry' account is going to turn into your personal praise blog."

Karina's face turned even redder from their laughter, but she still wouldn't back down:

"I'm just speaking the truth! Don't you guys think I'm great?"

As soon as she said this, the laughter of the three suddenly stopped.

Kim Minjeong was the first to turn to Karina, seriously counting on her fingers.

"Unnie is beautiful! That's common knowledge, I don't even need to say it, right?"

Karina was stunned for a moment, her smile fading slightly.

Kim Minjeong continued: "Magnanimous! You never get angry over small things. Even if we go too far with our mischief, Unnie only pretends to be angry; actually, you can't bear to scold us at all."

Karina's mouth opened slightly.

"Cute!" Kim Minjeong's voice grew louder. "Even though you're older than us, sometimes you're more like a child. Especially when you're eating something delicious, that expression is just super cute!"

"Strong skills!" Kim Minjeong's eyes were sparkling. "Good at singing, good at dancing, great stage presence. Every time I watch Unnie's fancams, I think, wow, our leader is actually so amazing!"

Karina stood frozen in place, unable to say a word.

NingNing chimed in: "Unnie also takes great care of us!"

Her tone became serious, no longer joking around like before.

"When I first came to Korea from China, I didn't understand anything and couldn't speak Korean well. It was Unnie who taught me bit by bit, practiced with me, and took me out to eat good food. When I was homesick, Unnie would stay with me and tell me she missed home too, and then we'd cry together, and laugh together once we were done."

Her voice choked up a bit.

"Unnie is one of the people I'm closest to in Korea."

Uchinaga Eri nodded and spoke a long passage for once:

"Ji-min is a very genuine person. How she is in front of the camera is how she is in private. She doesn't try to please anyone intentionally, nor does she change her attitude based on someone's status. She laughs when she's happy and endures when she's sad, but no matter how tired she is, she'll always ask us 'Are you guys okay?' first."

She looked at Karina with a gentle smile.

"It's the Ji-min who brings us joy and confidence. She's our leader. She's our—Ji-min Unnie."

The practice room fell silent.

Karina stood there, her eyes a bit red. She opened her mouth to say something but found her throat blocked by a lump.

These three kids—these three she had watched grow up since their trainee days—had actually remembered all her kindness in their hearts without her knowing.

She wanted to say thank you, wanted to say they were great too, wanted to say it was wonderful to have them—

But she couldn't say anything.

Because if she spoke, the tears would fall.

So she just stood there, blinking hard, trying her best not to let the tears slide down.

Then, another voice rang out.

"Ji-min has full stress-resistance."

Karina's body stiffened slightly.

Jiang Zhiyu walked over from the wall and stood in front of her. His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"She's a Super Idol Master who transforms all negative emotions into the motivation to move forward."

He looked into her eyes; in those eyes were seriousness, appreciation, and something deep that she couldn't quite understand.

And then—

He paused.

The next second, he cupped his hands like a megaphone to his mouth and, in a tone that left everyone dumbfounded, shouted loudly:

"Karina—! Ahhh—I really, really, really like you! Please keep walking the Flower Path! Ji-min—!"

The voice echoed in the practice room, making the windows tremble.

Kim Minjeong's mouth formed an 'O' shape.

NingNing covered her ears, her eyes wide.

Uchinaga Eri took a step back, her face full of shock.

Karina—

Karina's face turned red at a visible speed, starting from her neck and going all the way to her hairline. Her entire face was as red as a ripe tomato, even her earlobes tinged with pink.

Kim Minjeong was the first to react. She reached out to tug on Jiang Zhiyu's sleeve and whispered, "Oppa, that's too much, too much."

Jiang Zhiyu turned to look at her and blinked.

"Was it too much?"

Kim Minjeong nodded vigorously.

NingNing also nodded silently, her movements as synchronized as if they were in a ceremony.

Uchinaga Eri also nodded, though a smile still played on her lips.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the three of them, then turned back to meet Karina's face, which was so red it could practically drip blood.

He flashed a big smile.

"But I don't think it's enough—"

He took a deep breath and made that megaphone gesture again—

"Ahhh—, Kar—"

Just as his mouth opened, a hand suddenly covered it.

"Mmph mmph—!"

At some point, Karina had rushed in front of him, standing on her tiptoes, one hand firmly covering his mouth. Her face was as red as a ripe tomato, burning from her cheeks to her ears, even her neck stained with a layer of pink.

"Oppa!" Her voice was urgent and embarrassed, with a hint of trembling. "Stop praising me in that Fanatical Fan tone!"

With his mouth covered, Jiang Zhiyu could only make "mmph mmph" sounds.

He blinked and looked at her innocently.

Karina stared at him, her heart beating like a drum.

She could feel his warm breath puffing against her palm, a tingling sensation.

She wanted to pull her hand back, but she didn't dare—afraid he would shout something else that would make her heart race.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, his voice somewhat muffled because his mouth was covered:

"But I've always been your Fanatical Fan, Ji-min?"

Karina's head went "buzz."

Jiang Zhiyu continued, his voice muffled yet every word clear to the ear:

"From the moment I met you—"

He paused, his gaze as gentle as a spring breeze.

"For the rest of my life, I will always be your fan, Ji-min..."

Karina opened her mouth but couldn't say anything.

What was this?

In a place like this?

In front of the members?

Saying something so... easily misunderstood...

She felt her face burning, from her cheeks to her ears, from her ears to her neck; she felt like she was being roasted over a fire.

When he said "fan," did he really mean "fan"?

Or...

Her hand was still over his mouth, and she could feel the heat he exhaled—warm, moist, brushing against her palm again and again.

That feeling was like a feather lightly sweeping across the tip of her heart, tingling and numb.

She wanted to pull her hand back, but her fingers seemed to be under a spell, completely refusing to obey.

She wanted to say something to break this suffocating atmosphere, but her mouth opened and closed, closed and opened, and nothing came out.

Beside her, Kim Minjeong's eyes were wide and round, her mouth slightly agape, frozen in place as if her acupuncture points had been struck.

NingNing covered her own mouth, but her bright red ears and slightly trembling shoulders betrayed her true emotions at this moment.

Uchinaga Eri lowered her head, her fingers twisting together, unable to suppress the curve of her lips.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at Karina's dazed expression, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

He slightly raised his hand and gently grasped the hand she was holding over his mouth.

Karina's entire body stiffened, like a kitten whose head had suddenly been petted.

Jiang Zhiyu gently pulled her hand down but didn't let go, just holding it like that.

"Ji-min."

His voice returned to a normal pitch, but it was still very soft, as if he were telling a secret.

Karina looked at him without blinking.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled; that smile was no longer the excitement of a Fanatical Fan, but a gentle, soft smile with a hint of indulgence.

"I'm serious."

Karina's heart skipped a beat.

Jiang Zhiyu let go of her hand and took a step back, creating some distance.

But his gaze still lingered on her face.

"From the moment I met you, you've been one of my favorite juniors."

His tone was as natural as if he were saying the weather was nice today.

"And you will be for the rest of my life."

Karina stood there, looking at his face which had returned to calm, looking at her own reflection in those clear eyes—

She suddenly really wanted to ask: Just a junior?

But she didn't ask.

Because she knew that some questions, once asked, could never be taken back.

Kim Minjeong watched this scene from the side and whispered:

"Should we leave first?"

NingNing nodded, already starting to shuffle toward the door.

Uchinaga Eri had already stood up, carrying her bag of bread in one hand and Kim Minjeong's in the other.

The three were about to slip away quietly—

"None of you are allowed to leave!!!"

Karina's voice rang through the entire practice room, urgent and embarrassed, with a hint of exasperation. The three girls' movements froze instantly, as if a binding spell had been cast on them.

Karina glared at them, her face so red it looked like it would drip blood. "You—you guys stay right here! Don't go anywhere!"

Kim Minjeong sat back down obediently, while Ningning and Uchinaga Eri also returned to their spots. But their eyes kept darting back and forth between Jiang Zhiyu and Karina, and the smiles on their faces couldn't be suppressed.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at Karina's embarrassed and annoyed look and couldn't help but laugh. He gently raised his hand and grasped the wrist of the hand she still had over his mouth. That wrist was so slender it felt like it would break with a gentle squeeze, and the skin was so fair that the fine veins underneath were visible, currently burning hot.

Karina's breath hitched for a moment. She could feel the temperature of his palm passing through her skin—warm and steady. Her heart beat even faster.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't let go, just holding her wrist like that, his voice very soft.

"Ji-min."

Karina looked at him, at his eyes that seemed exceptionally clear under the practice room lights, at the slight upward curve of his lips, and at that face she both loved and hated. The movement was very light and gentle.

Karina trembled all over, as if she had been zapped by electricity.

She wanted to pull her hand back, but his palm was warm and strong, holding her neither too tight nor too loose, making it so she couldn't pull back—and didn't want to.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't let go; instead, he just held her hand and looked into her eyes as if he were looking at a precious treasure.

"From the moment you pushed open the door to my SM Producer Room—"

He spoke slowly.

Karina was stunned.

That was a long time ago.

Not long after she had entered SM as a trainee, she was full of curiosity and anxiety about everything. Someone told her there was a very talented producer in the company who could help trainees improve their skills.

She gathered her courage and pushed open that door.

Behind the door sat a very young-looking boy.

He looked up at her, his gaze as calm as a deep pool of water.

She was so nervous she stammered, but he just listened quietly and then said one thing—

"You're very suited to be an idol."

Back then, she didn't know what that sentence meant.

Now she knew.

Jiang Zhiyu continued, his voice as gentle as if he were telling a story from long ago.

"From the moment you believed that an obscure SM producer could make you even better—"

He looked at her, his gaze as clear as it was back then.

"I knew that you would definitely debut and become an even better idol."

Karina's eyes suddenly felt a bit stinging.

[part:deepseek-chat]

She remembered the sweat shed in the practice room over the years, the exhaustion of training alone late into the night, those moments of being questioned, denied, and ignored.

She remembered that every time she wanted to give up, there was always someone who would appear before her, offering encouragement, guidance, and confidence.

That person was the one now holding her hand, looking at her with such gentle eyes.

The corner of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth lifted slightly.

"From that moment on—"

he said.

"I decided to become your fan."

Karina lowered her head, not letting him see her reddened eyes.

She wanted to say something, but her throat felt blocked, unable to utter a single word.

The practice room was extremely quiet.

Kim Minjeong, NingNing, and Uchinaga Eri sat in the corner, not daring to make a sound.

They watched this scene: Jiang Zhiyu holding Karina's hand, Karina's profile with her head bowed, her slightly trembling shoulders—

Then the three of them exchanged glances.

Kim Minjeong mouthed the words: Should we really leave now?

NingNing mouthed back: If we leave now, won't we get killed?

Uchinaga Eri silently raised her phone, mouthing: I recorded it.

Kim Minjeong and NingNing both widened their eyes, silently giving a thumbs up.

Karina stood there, looking at him, at his clear eyes, at the gentle smile on his lips—

Suddenly, tears fell.

She didn't even know why she was crying.

This was clearly a happy thing.

Clearly something to be liked for.

Clearly—

She sniffled, her voice a bit hoarse:

"Oppa, you—"

She paused, unsure what to say.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her and smiled.

He released her wrist and reached out to gently ruffle her hair.

"Why are you crying?"

Karina shook her head, tears still falling.

"I'm not crying."

"You're crying even as tears are falling."

"That's—that's from happiness!"

Jiang Zhiyu smiled.

"If you're happy, smile. Why cry?"

Karina glared at him, but there was no anger in her eyes, only overwhelming emotion.

Kim Minjeong finally snapped out of her shock and muttered softly:

"Oppa, were you just confessing?"

Karina's face flushed even redder.

NingNing and Uchinaga Eri exchanged a glance and burst out laughing simultaneously.

"Unnie is blushing!"

"Ji-min, your ears are bright red!"

Listening to their teasing, Karina was so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

She took a deep breath, then another deep breath, and then—

"Yah!!!"

She yelled and lunged at Jiang Zhiyu.

Jiang Zhiyu was prepared, smiling as he dodged.

The two of them began a new round of chasing.

Kim Minjeong watched them and couldn't help but laugh.

"Oppa and Karina Unnie are really so childish."

NingNing nodded, "But it's cute, isn't it?"

Uchinaga Eri silently picked up the phone that had fallen on the floor. The screen was still lit, showing the account homepage of 'Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry'.

She glanced at the screen full of praising posts, then at the two chasing and roughhousing, a slight smile lifting the corner of her mouth.

"It really is cute."

"Unnie," NingNing's voice drifted over, carrying a hint of meaning. "That post you just made using the 'Little Strawberry' account already has over a thousand fan replies."

Karina froze for a moment, instinctively pulling out her phone. On the screen, under the latest post praising her on the 'Liu Zhimins Little Strawberry' account homepage, comments were rapidly increasing.

[Strawberry Sister is working hard again today!]

[Strawberry Sister's love for Karina is truly touching]

[Karina deserves all the love!]

[Strawberry Sister said it so well, Karina is the best!]

Karina looked at those comments, her face flushing even more. Did these people know that the person using this account to praise her now was herself? Was she... praising herself? Were fans praising her for praising herself? What kind of weird loop was this?

"Pfft—" Kim Minjeong finally couldn't hold back her laughter. "Unnie, you're now the biggest Karina fan account online." NingNing also laughed, "And the self-producing, self-consuming kind at that." Uchinaga Eri didn't speak, but the smile at the corner of her mouth couldn't be suppressed.

Karina glared at them, but she couldn't help smiling herself. She looked down at the ever-increasing comments on her phone screen, a strange feeling welling up in her heart. These people didn't know who 'Little Strawberry' was. They simply liked this account, liked this account's defense and praise of 'Karina'. And now, she was using this account to praise herself.

Narcissist. She remembered the word Jiang Zhiyu had just used, and then couldn't help smiling again. Okay, maybe he was right. This feeling was actually pretty good.

She looked up, about to say something, but met Jiang Zhiyu's gaze. He was looking at her, his eyes holding no mockery, no teasing, only a gentle light that made her heart race.

"Oppa..." Her voice was soft, so soft it seemed it might scatter in the wind outside the window. "Do you know, saying things like this can lead to misunderstandings?"

Kim Minjeong held her breath. NingNing and Uchinaga Eri also held their breath.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her slightly trembling shoulders and was silent for a second. Then he smiled, a smile as gentle as spring sunlight. "Then let it be a misunderstanding. I genuinely like you..."

Karina's back stiffened abruptly. Jiang Zhiyu didn't say anything more, just stood there, looking at her. Sunlight streamed in through the window, spreading a golden light between the two of them. Kim Minjeong looked at one, then the other, then silently crouched down to pick up the bread that had fallen on the floor. NingNing and Uchinaga Eri exchanged a glance and simultaneously made a decision—play dead. The three of them lowered their heads in unison, pretending to be deeply interested in the patterns on the floor, but their ears were perked up high.

Karina stood there, her heart beating so fast it felt like it would leap from her chest. A misunderstanding? Misunderstanding what? Misunderstanding that he was her fan? Misunderstanding that he—she didn't dare think further.

"Oppa." She finally spoke, her voice muffled.

"Hmm?"

"I'll take what you just said seriously."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her back, which still refused to turn around, and said softly, "Okay."

Karina's fingers clenched the hem of her clothes. "I really will take it seriously."

"Okay."

"Even if you say it was just a joke, I'll still take it seriously."

"It wasn't a joke."

Karina finally turned around. Her eyes were a bit red, but there was a smile on her lips. That smile held nervousness, anticipation, and a tiny bit of smugness she herself hadn't noticed.

"Then Oppa has to keep his word." She looked at him, enunciating each word. "From the moment I met you, for the rest of my life—you have to be my fan."

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her, at her slightly reddened eyes in the sunlight, at the smile she couldn't suppress at the corner of her mouth, at her fingers clutching her clothes. He smiled, then reached out, as he had done countless times before, and gently ruffled her hair. "Okay." His voice was soft, yet like a stone dropped into a lake, rippling outward. "I promise you."

"Then from now on, you have to keep supporting me."

Jiang Zhiyu smiled.

"Of course."

"No matter what happens?"

"No matter what happens."

Karina nodded with satisfaction.

Then she added, "And from now on, you're not allowed to use the 'guardian of princess wonyoung' account to scold me anymore."

Jiang Zhiyu's smile froze for an instant.

"...About that..."

"Oppa!"

Jiang Zhiyu sighed helplessly.

"Alright, I'll try my best."

Karina glared at him. "Try your best?"

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment, then said, "How about this—from now on, before I scold you, I'll give you a heads-up."

Karina: "...What's the difference?"

Jiang Zhiyu said seriously, "There is. You can mentally prepare yourself in advance."

Karina was both angry and amused.

She reached out and punched his shoulder.

"Jiang Zhiyu, you remember this."

Jiang Zhiyu smiled as he dodged.

"I remember, I remember."

Kim Minjeong finally couldn't help but look up, glancing at Jiang Zhiyu, then at Karina. Suddenly, she raised the bread in her hand and said loudly, "What about me! Is Oppa my fan too!"

The practice room fell silent for a second, then erupted in laughter. NingNing laughed so hard she slapped the floor. "Minjeong Unnie! You ruined the mood!" Uchinaga Eri shook her head, laughing. "Minjeong-ah, you're really ruining the atmosphere!"

Karina laughed too, her eyes curving into crescents, even the redness in her eyes washed away by her smile. She looked at Kim Minjeong's face, which was full of 'I want that too,' feeling both exasperated and amused. Jiang Zhiyu released his hand from Karina's hair and turned to Kim Minjeong, thinking seriously. "Hmm—" he drew out the sound, "I'm also Minjeong's fan." Kim Minjeong's eyes instantly lit up. "But," Jiang Zhiyu's tone shifted, a sly smile appearing, "you can only be second."

Kim Minjeong's face fell. NingNing and Uchinaga Eri laughed even harder. Karina stood in the sunlight, watching this scene, unable to suppress the smile at the corner of her mouth.

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze moved past Karina to the three 'little quails' behind her. He smiled, deliberately lowering his voice to a volume only the two of them could hear. "Ji-min, your ears are bright red."

Karina instinctively reached up to cover her ears. A burning warmth spread from her fingertips. Her face flushed even redder.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at her and couldn't help laughing. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair, the movement as gentle as soothing a bristling kitten.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you."

He withdrew his hand, took a step back, his voice returning to its usual composure. "But what I said is true."

Karina looked up, meeting his still-clear eyes. They held laughter, gentleness, and something she couldn't quite decipher.

"You really are outstanding. I'm not saying this because I know you, but because you are genuinely good."

He paused, then added, "Of course, Minjeong is also good, Ningning is good, Eri is good. All four of you are good."

Karina took a deep breath, trying to make her expression return to normal, but the redness on her face wouldn't fade.

"The game... the game isn't over yet!"

Her voice was still a bit shaky.

"Let's keep playing!"

Kim Minjeong looked at her, then at Jiang Zhiyu, finally revealing an 'I get it, I get it' smile.

"Okay~ let's keep playing~"

That drawn-out ending tone sounded full of meaning.

Karina glared at her, but Kim Minjeong just blinked innocently.

Jiang Zhiyu smiled, walked over, and picked up his phone again.

"Okay, let's continue."

His voice had returned to its usual composure, as if nothing had just happened.

But Karina knew she would remember what he had just said for a very, very long time.

For the rest of my life.

She silently repeated those four words in her heart.

Then the corner of her mouth lifted quietly, uncontrollably.